Be proactive and prompt with upholstery care At home, it is easy to camouflage spills, messes and mishaps to furniture. Cover a stain on the carpet with a rug Hide a nick in a table with a cloth. Bury the mess on the couch by flipping the cushion ove...

Five common dining room design problems — and how to fix them Years ago, architect Jim Lencioni recalls being called into a casual restaurant concept based in the Southeast. Despite solid marks for its food, business continued falling. In surveying...

Successful upselling requires enthusiasm and sincerity Servers walk a fine line in customer service. In order to be successful, servers must inform their customers about specials and recommend fantastic menu items without stepping over the line and m...

When Teresa Corea-Golka’s grandfather started Roma D’Italia in Tustin, California, more than 40 years ago, he wasn’t thinking about creating a carryout concept for his sit-down Italian restaurant. He just wanted happy customers. But Roma D’It...

Are video and redemption games right for your pizzeria?   People like to compete. They enjoy keeping score. Most are enthralled by the sense of achievement — that warm, fuzzy realization they qualify as “winners.” As former Green Bay Packe...

You want the good news first, or the bad? The good news is that where it concerns pizza, customers are starting to make decisions based on factors other than pricing. For pizza restaurants that have seen their profit margins plummet due to the price ...

Investing in a look for a staff, whether it is a specific uniform from head to toe or more of a dress code that allows individual style, is a powerful way operators can show their customers who they are. A more casual pizzeria might have their staff ...

Server stations keep the kitchen and dining room flowing When Aaron Baumhackl, chef and co-owner of Solstice Wood Fire Café, relocated the restaurant to Hood River, Oregon, in December 2013, he consulted an expert about where to put the server stati...

Incorporating the sell of alcohol into a pizzeria operation comes with obstacles, but the rewards may be too big to ignore its revenue potential. Darryl Meadows, co-owner of Manhattan Pie Company in Georgetown, Texas, sought to add a bar long before ...

Signage plays an important — but often overlooked — part in restaurant success   A restaurant’s sign spells out more to customers than just its name. It says who you are and what customers can expect when they walk in the door. Casual or f...

When Sara Griffith, husband Joe and partners Shawn and Barb Griffith bought a Sam & Louie’s franchise location in Omaha, Nebraska, in August 2012, Sara was looking to update the pizzeria’s interior. She found inspiration from Pinterest, a vis...

Serving up the right dinnerware impacts restaurant image In the restaurant world, there are no easy decisions, because every choice from the menu to the lighting impacts the restaurant’s image, the guest experience and the ultimate success or failu...